DIY: Pom Pom Garland from Castle in the Air

One of our favorite sources for craft and stationery supplies is Castle in the Air in Berkeley. With its array of colored inks, papers, fountain pens, and sealing wax, it's also a calligraphy lover's dream. The store is always decorated with creative projects, so with the onset of summer, we asked owner and illustrator Karima Cammell to show us how to make a pom pom garland. Here's how:
Above: Karima's pom pom garland made from crepe paper strung across a garden.
Materials needed:
2 rolls fine Crepe Paper ( we used white and vanilla)
Dresden trim (we used 2 sheets of Medium Halos)
13 bar stir Paper Straws
Florist Wire
Helmar Craft Glue
Scissors
String (about 12 inches)
2 curtain rings (brass rings can typically be found at the local hardware store)
Cut each roll into three equal sections. Each will be a little under 7 inches high. Fringe both cut ends of each section, leaving one inch of uncut crepe down the center. Unravel each section to reveal 8 inches of fringed crepe and divide in two. When you are done, you will have 12 lengths of 4-inche-long fringe, 6 of each color.
Tie a knot at one end of your string around one of the curtain loops. From the other end of your string thread on a straw. Tuck the tail of your knot into the straw to hide it.
Gather a bundle of fringe into a pile and wrap it around your string near the end of your straw.
Wrap a piece of florist wire around the center of your bundle of crepe paper. Secure it tightly and trim the wire.
Tousle, scrunch, and fluff the crepe paper fringe so that it forms a nice puffy ball (this is the part where you get to experience the joy of working with crepe paper!). Continue by alternating threaded straws and pompoms. Tie the second curtain ring at the end of the garland, trim the string, and tuck the tail into the last straw.
Glue two Dresden pieces back to back around the center of each, or every other, straw. We like to use the Helmar glue with the Dresden trim because it grabs the foil and dries fast.
Festoon your garden or room!
Owner and illustrator Karima Cammell also publishes charming Children's Books through Dromedary Press, Castle in the Air's publishing imprint.
If you are looking for more creative DIY ideas, check out the paper chandelier in the Berkeley home of Lauren McIntosh , owner of Tail of the Yak .